Week 2 -- Still on Track!

Still making a blog entry from the I-Pad, because the computer and I were having words.  Well, not so much words as me growling at the computer, and it just sitting there like it had done nothing wrong.  The thing is that the pictures are here on the tablet, but typing in text and making links that actually work is so much easier with a keyboard and mouse.  Not to mention the display issues I have with the tablet.

In any event, I have been knitting.  I am test knitting with a yarn that we may be bringing in to the store for spring.  It is a bamboo and acrylic blend in a DK weight.  The pattern is Newsom, and I am using a 3.25mm needle.  The back is done to the armholes, and sleeves are the next step.  I was tickled to find not one, but TWO additional needles of the right size in my needle collection.  This means I can charge ahead without needing stitch holders, etc. And for the record, I have not even consumed one full ball of yarn yet!  Definitely a contender yarn.

 

We are teaching a class in knitting gloves at the store.  Since it is officially my class to lead, I started a pair of gloves to accompany the class and demonstrate techniques.  I am using KFI Painted Sky and 3.75 and 4.0mm needles, as specified in the pattern.  

Writing patterns  is hard work, as we discovered when we did the calendar at the store.  So I probably should cut Patons some slack, but I did. Ot find their pattern to be easily followed.  The first time through I threw up my hands and purposefully made a change so that I could understand what was happening.  The second time through with a customer, we did the same thing.  The third time through with another customer, the directions became clear.  The clouds parted, sunshine poured down, angels sang.  Well, not quite, but my current gloves will have a definite right AND left, as the pattern writer envisioned!  Yay, me.

Several months ago, I was visiting my grandson.  He asked me why I always knit.  The answer I gave was that I liked to knit for the people I love.  Fair enough, but it felt incomplete.  Listening to a 

podcast by PrairiePiper (see, this is where the link would be, but you can look her up on Ravelry), and she made the connection for me.  Years from now, when the grandson looks at pictures of his youth, he will see sweaters and things that I knit for him, and KNOW that I love(d) him.

So when he gave me a sweater request — zipper, hood, pockets AND colours of the rainbow — what could I do?  You guessed it.  The yarn is Patons Canadiana and the pattern is modified from Cabin Fever Hoodies and Pullovers.  Cabin Fever wrote the pattern to be a henley-style pullover.  I simply did not join in the round, and did some math to get the pockets knit.

My son says he wore the sweater out to a coffee shop and a birthday party, where there were many compliments received.  The grandson was telling everyone that his Mama Carol had made the sweater, and that she makes the best sweaters.  Definitely worth the angst of knitting, modifying, and sweating over whether zipper insertion could be acquired.  (I took the sweater around the corner to an alterations place and had the zipper inserted.  They did a magnificent job.)

Finally, I show you the progress on my Mystery Sock.  This is the announcement of the February theme, which is NOT toe-up, nor blue.  I am using Manos del Uruguay Alegria, and it is a wonderful yarn with which to knit.

The sock is coming along nicely, although I must admit it was my second choice of a sock.  The first just didn't work, and rather than continue fighting I switched patterns. 

You may have noticed that there are now links.  The computer and I have made friendly and everything seems to be coming together.  Getting used to blogging again is a challenge, but one I can and will conquer.  In the meantime, I have pork chops (with peaches, tomato sauce and spices) simmering in the slow cooker.  It smells divine, and I can only hope it will taste as good as it smells! 

Off to do some more knitting!